Apparatus for use in forming shells from billets

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for forming shells from billets comprising a punch having a billet-engaging nose portion at its leading end and a supporting portion which is of greater diameter than the nose portion, a billet supporting assembly which comprises a hollow housing having at its upper end an aperture through which the nose portion and the supporting portion of the punch can extend and a recessed billet block in the interior of the housing together with a nose portion supporting ring, said housing having a laterally directed aperture through which a billet can be inserted into the recess of the billet block and from which a shell extruded from a billet by said punch can be withdrawn.

United States Patent {15] 3,651,68l

Eames [451 :1 ar. 28, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR USE IN FORMING 3,263,468 8/1966 Rowell ..72/267 SHELLS FROM BILLETS [72] Inventor: Ronald W. Eames, Wingerworth, Chesterjgggfg gffiys gzgs igiggl field England Attorney-Holman & Stern [73] Assignee: The Chesterfield Tube Company Limited,

Chesterfield, England [57] ABSTRACT Filed! J y 28, 1969 Apparatus for forming shells from billets comprising a punch [2]] App]. No: 845,253 having a billet-engaging nose portion at its leading end and a v supporting portion which is of greater diameter than the nose portion, a billet supporting assembly which comprises a hol- Fm'elgn Application Pri ri y 18 low housing having at its upper end an aperture through which Aug, 1, 1968 Great Britain ..36,7l7/68 and the supPmting 0f thepunch can extend and a recessed billet block in the interior of the hous- 52 0.8. CI ..72/267 s together with a nose portion supporting ring, said housing 51 m. or. .3216 23/18 having a laterally directed aperture through which a billet can 58] Field of Search ..72/257, 267 be inserted in h r c of he billet block and from which a shell extruded from a billet by said punch can be withdrawn.

[56] References Cited 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure UNITED STATES PATENTS Knaebel 72/267 APPARATUS FOR USE IN FORMING SHELLS FROM BILLETS This invention relates to apparatus for use in forming shells from billets and especially to apparatus for forming, from solid cylindrical billets, blanks which are each in the form of a tube with one closed end for subsequent manufacture into gas cylinders. The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus for use in forming such shells from billets.

In accordance with the invention there is provided apparatus for use in forming shells from billets which comprises a punch adapted to be connected to a press ram and having a billet-engaging nose portion at its leading end, there being also provided a billet supporting assembly and a nose portion supporting ring, said billet supporting assembly comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on the bed of a press and having at its upper end an aperture through which said nose portion'of the punch can pass, said housing having a hollow interior in which is supported a billet block having a recess adapted to receive a billet, the housing having above said billet block a pair of laterally directed and oppositely disposed apertures through which access can be gained to the interior of the housing, the diameter of said nose portion of the punch being less than the diameter of said recess in the billet block whereby a billet placed in the recess will be extruded backwardly around said nose portion as the latter is advanced into the recess on movement of the press ram towards the press bed, said ring serving to support the nose portion during the initial stages at least of said billet extrusion while being pushed along the nose portion of the punch by the extruded billet, each of said laterally directed apertures having an upper portion which provides an opening greater in width than the diameter of said ring whereby the ring can be removed from or inserted into said housing through the upper portion of either of said housing apertures. As

The accompanying drawing is a part-sectional elevation illustrating one example of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown in the drawing there is provided a punch generally indicated by reference numeral l and having at one end a nose portion 11 which is adapted to engage a billet, together with a supporting portion 12 which is connected to said nose portion 11. The punch is mounted in any convenient manner to the ram 13 of a press so that the punch can float relative to the ram.

Beneath the ram is mounted a billet supporting assembly which includes a housing 14 of generally tubular configuration adapted to be secured in any convenient manner to the bed 15 of the press. At the upper end of said housing 14 is an aperture 16 in which is mounted a bearing 17. The aperture 16 is large enough to admit with clearance the nose portion 11 of the punch but during the operative stroke of the punch the aforesaid supporting portion 12 of the punch will be guided and supported by said bearing 17.

The housing 14 serves to accommodate a billet block 18 which may rest on an anvil l9 projecting into the hollow interior of the housing, said billet block being formed with a recess 20 in which a billet ('not shown) can be placed. The diameter of said recess 20 in the billet block is somewhat greater than the nose portion 11 of the punch whereas the billet when placed in the billet block will fill said recess 20.

There is also provided a nose portion supporting ring 21 which in use and as shown in the drawing will be located within the hollow interior of the housing 14. Furthermore as shown in the drawing the housing is provided on each side at the upper end of its hollow interior with a window or aperture 22 by means of which access can be obtained to the interior of the housing.

In use the punch 10 would firstly be placed in its withdrawn or upper position as shown in full lines in the drawing and the billet block 18 would be inserted through an aperture or side window 22 and then lowered into the housing so that it is supported on top of the anvil 19. The billet is then placed in the recess in the billet block and finally the ring 21 also inserted into the interior of the housing so that it rests on top of the billet and billet block. The punch 10 is then lowered on the ram so that the nose portion engages the top of the billet and further downward movement of the punch results in the billet being extruded backwardly over the nose portion so as to assume the shell-like shape indicated by reference numeral 23 in the drawing. The ring 21 is pushed backwardly along the nose portion of the punch during this process and finally the punch attains the position indicated in chain-dotted lines as shown by reference numeral 24. Finally the punch is withdrawn and the ring 21 will engage the shoulder at the bottom of the aperture 16 as the punch passes upwardly so that said ring and the now formed shell 23 will be stripped from the punch. The shell and the ring can then be extracted through the upper portion of one of said apertures 22 in the housing prior to insertion of another billet into the recess 20 of the billet block 18. As will be seen from the drawing the upper part of each aperture 22 has a width which is greater than the diameter of the ring 21 thereby enabling said ring to be inserted into or removed from said aperture in a sideways direction. After extrusion of the billet as above-described the shell 23 can be subjected to further manufacturing operations to form it into a gas cylinder.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for use in forming shells from billets which comprises a punch adapted to be connected to a press ram and having a billet-engaging nose portion at its leading end, there being also provided a billet supporting assembly and a nose portion supporting ring, said billet supporting assembly comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on the bed of a press and having at its upper end an aperture through which said nose portion of the punch can pass, said housing having a hollow interior in which is supported a billet block having a recess adapted to receive a billet, the housing having above said billet block a pair of laterally directed and oppositely disposed apertures through which access can be gained to the interior of the housing, the diameter of said nose portion of the punch being less than the diameter of said recess in the billet block whereby a billet placed in the recess will be extruded backwardly around said nose portion as the latter is advanced into the recess on movement of the press ram towards the press bed, said ring serving to support the nose portion during the initial stages at least of said billet extrusion while being pushed along the nose portion of the punch by the extruded billet, each of said laterally directed apertures having an upper portion which provides an opening greater in width than the diameter of said ring whereby the ring can be removed from or inserted into said housing through the upper portion of either of said housing apertures. 

1. Apparatus for use in forming shells from billets which comprises a punch adapted to be connected to a press ram and having a billet-engaging nose portion at its leading end, there being also provided a billet supporting assembly and a nose portion supporting ring, said billet supporting assembly comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on the bed of a press and having at its upper end an aperture through which said nose portion of the punch can pass, said housing having a hollow interior in which is supported a billet block having a recess adapted to receive a billet, the housing having above said billet block a pair of laterally directed and oppositely disposed apertures through which access can be gained to the interior of the housing, the diameter of said nose portion of the punch being less than the diameter of said recess in the billet block whereby a billet placed in the recess will be extruded backwardly around said nose portion as the latter is advanced into the recess on movement of the press ram towards the press bed, said ring serving to support the nose portion during the initial stages at least of said billet extrusion while being pushed along the nose portion of the punch by the extruded biLlet, each of said laterally directed apertures having an upper portion which provides an opening greater in width than the diameter of said ring whereby the ring can be removed from or inserted into said housing through the upper portion of either of said housing apertures. 